Split in the Community

At one time The Blessed One was abiding in Gosita's monastery in Kosambi. Venerable Ānanda approached The Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side and The Blessed One said:

So then, Ānanda, is the dispute settled?

Venerable sir, how could the dispute be settled, venerable Anuruddha's co-associate Bahiya, organizes a complete split of the Community and venerable Anuruddha does not think to say a word about it.

Ānanda, when will Anuruddha settle disputes in the Community? Isn't it that you should settle whatever disputes that arise together with Sāriputta and Maggallana.

Ānanda, the evil bhikkhu seeing four reasons for his benefit delights in a split in the Community. What four?

Here, Ānanda, to the evil bhikkhu, with impure, under cover activity, with merely a promise to lead the holy life and with evil thoughts streaming, it occurs: If the bhikkhus come to know that I am with evil under cover activity, they will together decide not to associate me. When disssociated it would not be that they will never come to see me. Seeing this first reason for his benefit, the evil, impure bhikkhu rejoices in a split in the Community.

Again, Ānanda, to the evil bhikkhu with wrong views, holding an extremist view it occurs- If the bhikkhus come to know that I am with wrong views holding an extremist view, they will together decide not to associate me. When dissociated it would not be that they will never come to me. Seeing this second reason for his benefit, the evil, impure bhikkhu rejoices in a split in the Community.

Again, Ānanda, the evil bhikkhu leads a wrong livelihood and it occurs to him thus: If the bhikkhus come to know that I lead a wrong livelihood, they will together decide not to associate me. When dissociated it would not be that they will never come to see me. Seeing this third reason for his benefit, the evil, impure bhikkhu rejoices in a split in the Community.

Again, Ānanda, the evil bhikkhu, desires gain and fame in wrong ways and it occurs to him: If the bhikkhus come to know that I desire gain and fame in wrong ways, they will not revere, honour and esteem me, separated, I will be revered, honoured and esteemed Seeing this fourth reason for his benefit, the evil, impure bhikkhu rejoices in a split in the Community.

Ānanda, the evil bhikkhu seeing these four reasons for his benefit delights in a split in the Community.